I'm trying to find anyone that knew Sgt Danny Archer while in Viet Nam. He was assigned to H&S 2/5 81's, initally as an ammo carrier then FO. About 3-4 months into his tour he was assigned as the bodyguard for the 2/5 BN CO. He spent the rest of his tour in this billet.

Dan ended his tour and went back to the 28th Marines at Pendleton 3 weeks before Tet. He thought most of the guys he knew were killed when 2/5 got hit hard guarding an old French Fort in the Quezon Valley just before, or during Tet.

Of particular interest is his old BN CO, LtCol Peter Hildegarden (or Hildegartner.) I believe Hidegarden wrote a fictionalized story of his Viet Nam service after the war but I can find the book.

Danny stood out in the Corps, having been raised in England until he was 14; He had (and still has) a very distinct British accent. He's a very quiet guy, not prone to go to reunions, etc.

I'm his brother-in-law & am trying to scare up anyone that may have known him, or the current whereabouts of his CO LtCol Hildegarden.

You may have the wrong Battalion or the wrong dates. In Nov. 67 the Commanding Officer of 2nd Battalion was Lt. Col. McNaughton who served through Dec. 67. The Command Chronologies list Lt. Col. J. W. Cheatham Jr. as waiting assignment in Dec. 67. He assumed command of 2nd Battalion in Jan. 1968 and served as commander through July of 68. In Aug. 1968 Lt. Cp. J. W. Stemple took command. I did not follow the command structure any further.

I do have other info on 2nd Battalion, so if the dates are wrong I can look further.

Ok, thanks much... I'll have to do some further checking. I was very sure he said 2/5. Guess I'll have to track down by CO's, and by BN. Do you know a good reference site that lists CO's of Units by chronology? I should check to ensure it wasn't another BN.
Paul

I can not think of a good source for that information. I have all of the Command Chronologies for 2nd Battalion starting with their move to Vietnam until they left. Other than going through each one, I am not sure how you would do it. It may also be that he has the wrong name and that the dates are correct. One of the reasons I got the chronologies was because so many of my memories were just a blur. Most of the guys we all served with were known by nicknames put together with state and or hometowns. Good Luck. Let me know if you need more info on 2/5.

Jay's chronology is a fairly good reconstruction. I was a 2533 & arrived at An Hoá in very early December '67. The CO in waiting was Lt. Col. Cheating (I interviewed for his radio op. But declined the 'offer'. I was then sent out as a radioman for 81 mm FO's & spent all my time as 5 of em came & went. I lost one in Battle of Hue City where he & I were hiding in a grass hooch in a graveyard. He was killed when we took a RPG from one of those STUPID 'no-fire' zone churches. Five days on a field cot later, they determined that I was once again conscious, picked up a new radio & green FO & off we went to finish that chapter.